GONDWANA CHOIRS2018

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Cover Lyn WilliamsThis page Lyn WilliamsP3 Ben SymonsP4 Brandon VoightP7 Lyn WilliamsP8 Lyn WilliamsP9 Lyn WilliamsP10 Lyn WilliamsP11 Tony LewisP14 Ben SymonsP16 Darwin GomezP17 Shabnam HintonP19 Lyn WilliamsP20 Bernie HeardP22 Brandon VoightP24 Brandon VoightP26 Brandon Voight

Suite 202, 52-58 William StWoolloomooloo NSW 2011

P (02) 9361 9900E info@gondwana.org.au

ABN 16 065 410 577

Cover Image: Sydney Children’s Choir Winter Concert

CONTENTS

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GondwanaChoirs

MissionStatement

2018 - A Yearof Communities

The SydneyChildren’s Choir

National ChoralSchool

Gondwana IndigenousChildren’s Choir

Marilya &Spinifex Gum

Statistics

Repertoire

NewWorks

Songfests

Indigenous Languageand Arts

Bursary &Financial Assistance

Rio Tinto

2018 Partners

InnovationsPatrons

Accounts

Gondwana ChoirsArtists, Board & Administration

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GONDWANA CHOIRSGondwana Choirs is the voice of young Australia. Through the artistic leadership of Lyn Williams AM, we create and present innovative new choral work and drive collaborations that redefine how audiences perceive choirs, and what they are capable of.

Our performing ensembles include the Sydney Children’s Choir and Young Men’s Choir, Gondwana Voices, Gondwana Chorale, the Gondwana Indigenous Children’s Choir, and the newest Indigenous performing ensemble, Marliya. These are supported by the regular and seasonal training programs, engaging up to 1000 young people nationally each year. Gondwana presents a range of concerts each year, enjoying strong co-presentation relationships with City Recital Hall and the Cairns Regional Council. We have an ongoing collaboration with the Australian Chamber Orchestra and provide children’s choruses for Opera Australia and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.

Our artistic projects are daring and challenge what choirs are capable of stylistically. Marliya, made up of Indigenous choristers from Far North Queensland, performed Spinifex Gum, a new full-length stage work at the Adelaide and Sydney Festivals. Written by singer/song writer Felix Riebl, Spinifex Gum challenges audiences to consider confronting social issues such as Indigenous youth incarceration.

National Choral School gathers young choristers from every state including regional and remote areas to form Australia’s national youth choirs. The season culminates in a four day Festival of Summer Voices and includes a comprehensive series of elective studies, including Acehnese dancing, Balinese Gamelan, Taiko drumming and Music Therapy.

Gondwana Choirs engages the best Australian choral conductors, pianists, guest artists and composers. Since 1989, 48 Australian composers have been commissioned to write over 250 new works for the choirs, a substantial body of work which has made a significant contribution to the artform. We also lead choral training and professional learning for educators, developing extensive teaching resources of works primarily by Australian composers, to promote quality singing in the classroom and creative music making.

Many emerging and established Australian composers develop their craft and receive commissions through Gondwana Choirs and many alumni have pursued successful careers as composers because of their positive experience in the choirs. Our alumni perform in orchestras, bands and opera companies worldwide. As composers, conductors, music teachers, pop artists, and arts workers, they are also the next generation of audiences and advocates for the arts.

Lyn Williams conducts The Sydney Children’s ChoirEternal Voices, City Recital Hall

MISSION STATEMENTOUR PURPOSE

Gondwana Choirs is the leader in Australian choral perfor-mance.

We create and present innovative new choral work, which gives voice to Australia’s youth.

We provide world-class choral training by leading artists.

We provide opportunities to talented young Australian singers to perform at the highest level.

OUR VISIONTo be a truly national institution, which creates excellent choral work, representative of modern Australia in all its diversity and is celebrated by audiences.

OUR VALUES

We strive for excellence, every timeWe have an uncompromising commitment to the highest standards in the creation of choral art. We offer young people skills and opportunities to perform in a professional environ-ment with Australia’s finest musicians.

Innovation is essentialWe are committed to innovation and creativity in all aspects of our work. In this way, we can add to the development of choral music as an art form.

Everyone is welcome We endeavour to give any committed and talented young per-son the opportunity to participate in our programs, irrespective of financial, social, physical or distance barriers.

Diversity is essential to Australia’s storyWe seek out Australia’s best young talent, representative of all backgrounds. We need them to truly tell modern Australia’s story through song.

Audiences deserve to be inspiredWe want every seat at every performance filled by delighted and uplifted audience members.

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2018 - A YEAR OF COMMUNITIES

It is with pride that we report on the activities of Gondwana Choirs in 2018. This Annual Report contains a fascinating snapshot of the reach and impact of Gondwana Choirs, and the ways in which Lyn Williams’ artistic vision challenges how people perceive what choirs are capable of. 2018 was a year of building new audiences, from regional centres throughout Far North Queensland, to contemporary audiences for the ground-breaking collaboration with Felix Riebl, Spinifex Gum, Dreamtime at the G to a packed live and record broadcast audience, Festival of Voices in Tasmania, regional touring in NSW, and of course, our treasured Voices of Angels and the growing Festival of Summer Voices that showcases the work of National Choral School. The many beautiful photographs throughout this report illustrate the joy with which our choristers take their music to the world.

Our performing and training ensembles engaged up to 1000 young people nationally throughout the year, providing opportunities that included camps, tours, collaborations and cross-artform activities both within Australia and overseas. Gondwana Choirs commissioned new work from Australian composers and presented concerts to audiences numbering in the thousands.

We acknowledge the support of our Principal Partner of the Gondwana Indigenous Children’s Choir, Rio Rinto. We also recognise important contributions from Crown Resorts Foundation, the Packer Family Trust and the E.H. Marion Flack Trust, a variety of incredibly valued family trusts and our many

generous patrons and donors. We appreciate the supporters who form our Artistic Directors’ Circle; thank you all for sharing our vision.

In 2018 the Choir offices relocated temporarily to Woolloomooloo and we are grateful to Create NSW for their support of the move and our anticipated return to the redeveloped Walsh Bay arts precinct in 2020. We also acknowledge Notre Dame University for its venue sponsorship of many of our SCC rehearsals.

This year the company reported a small deficit, which reflects the pressure felt following the cessation of our federal multi-year funding in 2017. While increased fundraising has mitigated some of the impact of this loss, it has nevertheless resulted in the reduction of innovative projects and touring opportunities. The financial report outlines our vision for the financial and operational stability of the company in the next three years.

We congratulate and thank the Gondwana Choirs artistic and administration staff, as well as our colleagues on the board and the many wonderful volunteers who give their time and expertise to Gondwana Choirs. As Chair, Artistic Director, and Executive Director, we each feel immensely privileged to work together to support the innovative projects which engage talented young people from across Australia.

We commend the 2018 Annual Report to you.

Lyn Williams AMArtistic Director

Kate LidbetterChair

Bernie HeardExecutive Director

Mini Singers at SCC Springtime

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“Challenging repertoire and musical excellence is

the best part of 10 years of performing with SCC”

Gabriel, SCCYoung Men’s Choir

THE SYDNEY CHILDREN’S CHOIRIn 1989, Lyn Williams began with a small group of young singers, rehearsing in the 2MBS radio studio in St Leonards. Over the past 30 years, with the help and support of a wonderful community of singers and their families, the Sydney Children’s Choir has grown into a flourishing set of ensembles of almost 500 singers.

Performance excellence has been the obvious complement to the skill development for which the choral training program is known. 2018 saw the ensembles of the Sydney Children’s Choir perform at City Recital Hall on two occasions. The first, Eternal Voices, featured the world première of a major new work, Moments the Shaped Australia by Dan Walker and commissioned by Lyn Williams. The performance featured guest artists cellist Julian Smiles and percussionist Alison Pratt.

The second City Recital Hall performance over two evenings was the annual end-of-year celebration Voices of Angels: In the Land of Silent Night, sponsored by the Austrian National Tourism Association to celebrate the 200th Anniversary of the beloved carol Silent Night. The Austrian theme continued with a semi-staged presentation of Das Namensfest by Sűssmayr and we welcomed alumna Alexandra Oomens to perform Mozart’s Exulatate Jubilate with Lyn Williams conducting the Voices of Angels Orchestra.

In July, The Sydney Children’s Choir and the SCC Young Men’s Choir travelled to Tasmania to take part in Festival of Voices for an intensive week of workshops and performances including a moving performance at Port Arthur that included the eponymous movement from Moments that Shaped Australia.

Touring is an important part of the SCC experience. In preparation for the SCC Junior Performing Choir tour to Albury and Wagga Wagga in June, Associate Conductor Elizabeth Vierboom paid an advance visit to Albury to work with local choir conductors and helped form a local Songfest choir who would join with the JPC for combined performance at Albury Public School and a separate performance in Wagga Wagga.

A large part of Lyn’s legacy has been the amount of music that Gondwana Choirs has commissioned from Australian composers. Over 30 years, this commissioning has, in the words of Paul Stanhope, “created a whole genre of music that simply wasn’t there before.” The 2018 SCC Composer in Residence was rising star Ella Macens. (See story Page16)

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NATIONAL CHORAL SCHOOLWith its origins as a season for the newly established national treble ensemble Gondwana Voices in 1997, National Choral School continues its evolution as the prime destination for young singers, composers and conductors in the country. More than 330 participants in five ensembles undertook two weeks of intensive training in January with the finest artists, hosted at UNSW.

New to NCS 2018 was the introduction of Special Performance Projects that covered a wide range of musical genres, including musical theater, the songs and dances of Indonesia, composition, taiko drumming, Renaissance consort singing, creating evocative soundscapes, music of the Classical period and traditional music of Eastern Europe.

Another innovation at NCS 2018 was the inaugural Choral Ideas Symposium, where we opened the doors to choral educators to immerse themselves in three full days of lectures, masterclasses, workshops and concerts. In addition to observing the country’s best at work, the symposium provides NESA accredited training for teachers and more than 60 educators from all over Australia took part.

The second Festival of Summer Voices is the opportunity for choristers and artistic staff to perform the music they have

been preparing over the past two weeks and, for the first time, a chance to see some of the Special Performance Projects in action. In excess of 1,500 people attended four performances over four evenings in the Sir John Clancy Auditorium, UNSW.

FESTIVAL OF SUMMER VOICESKALEIDOSCOPE 17 January, 7pmA spectacular showcase featuring the five ensembles and the esteemed artists who lead them

EXPLORATIONS 18 January, 5.30pmPresenting the Special Performance Projects in concert for the first time

THE SONG COMPANY 19 January, 7pmThe Ensemble in Residence demonstrates why they remain at the forefront of contemporary vocal music

CLOSING GALA 20 January, 7pmThe finale featured 2 newly commissioned works from Daniel Brinsmead and Kirsten and Kenneth Lampl

“I love being surrounded by incredibly skilled musicians, conductors and singers. It’s

such an inspiring experience.” Josie, Albany WAGondwana Voices

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GONDWANA INDIGENOUS CHILDREN’S CHOIRIn 2018, Gondwana Choirs worked with Indigenous young people in Cairns, Western Sydney, and Inner Sydney. In each choral hub, we engaged in a tailored, community-led program of activity developed through consultation with community leaders and cultural custodians. The children in the choirs come from a range of language groups and take great pride in the responsibility of being entrusted with traditional and stories and language as a means of passing on and preserving culture through song.

The most established and ambitious program is in Cairns and this group continues to grow under the direction and vision of Lyn Williams AM. They are regularly invited to perform for significant events, which in 2018 included with Archie Roach as part of the Commonwealth Games program and touring throughout Far North Queensland presenting community workshops and performances alongside Gondwana Voices. The choir also worked with Gerib Sik Dance Troupe, learning new songs and dances drawn from the culture of the Torres Strait Islands. Former and current choristers from the Cairns program also formed our newest ensemble, Marliya (see next story).

Gondwana Choirs also led a choral hub in Western Sydney led by conductor Elizabeth Vierboom and pianist Brendan O’Mahony. The hub brought together young Aboriginal

children from the Campbelltown area schools to collaborate with local Dharawal elder Aunty Fran Bodkin.

In Inner Sydney, teaching artists Elizabeth Vierboom and Hester Wright worked directly in schools

with significant numbers of Indigenous students, including Darlington Public, La Perouse Public and St Scholastica’s College in Glebe. They brought together students representing many different language groups and collaborated with didgeridoo player Matthew Doyle in a performance at St Scholastica’s College.

Support from the Federal Government’s Indigenous Language and Arts program enabled a number of newly commissioned works; opportunities for intergenerational learning; children from the Western Sydney program attending the residential camp for skill development; and artists leading workshops in the Torres Strait (see page 18).

GICC was supported by Principal Partner Rio Tinto; Crown Resorts and Packer Family Foundation (Western Sydney); Magnolia Foundation, Todd Family Foundation, Sydney Community Foundation and by individual donors, most especially Vicki Olsson.

“Not only has GICC broadened my musical skills, it has devel-oped my independence and

helped shape my world view.” Stephanie, Cairns GICC

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MARLIYA & SPINIFEX GUMMarilya is the newest performing ensemble of Gondwana Choirs, a group of young women from Cairns who are the big sisters of Gondwana Indigenous Children’s Choir. Born out of a collaboration between Gondwana Choirs and singer/song writer Felix Riebl, these young women sing with a warmth and richness that belies their age. Marliya inspires and uplifts with a unique mix of joy, passion and humour. Through presenting Spinifex Gum to audiences around Australia, Marliya are challenging how choirs are perceived and presenting a unique voice about contemporary Indigenous life in Australia.

Spinifex Gum began life as a Gondwana Choirs’ commission from Riebl for GICC and the ensembles of Gondwana National Choral School in 2016. The original 30-minute song cycle explores some of the aspects of life in the Pilbara, particularly for Indigenous people, and incorporates Yinjabarndi language. Over the next two years, Felix and his partner Ollie McGill would add more works, expanding Spinifex Gum into a full album, released in October 2017.

Now a spectacular 70+ minute stage show featuring Marilya, Riebl, Peter Garrett, Emma Donovan and rapper Briggs, Spinifex Gum is taking audiences by storm and challenging them to consider confronting social issues such as Indigenous youth incarceration.

Spinifex Gum premièred at Monash Academy of Perfroming Arts, Monash University on 11 March before travelling to the Adelaide Festival at Her Majesty’s Theatre on 13 March. The reviews from Adelaide were electric:

“Centred on a memorable performance from the 18 teenage singers of Cairns choir Marliya, Spinifex Gum is a uniquely moving collaborative project years in the making.” – The Adelaide Review

“The sweetness of the singing, the power of the words and the movement make this a magical experience. The audience rose to its feet cheering at the end.” The Adelaide Advertiser

“Fresh, hopeful, strong and proud, these young women have taken their place in the spotlight; their voices not only fill the theatre in which they perform, but also embed into the hearts of the audience.” In Daily

Marilya also performed excerpts from Spinifex Gum before 60,000 people in Melbourne at the AFL’s signature match Dreamtime at the G in the Indigenous Round in July and at the closing ceremony of the Invictus Games in Sydney in Octo-ber. The entire stageshow was featured in the 2019 Sydney Festival and in April 2019, Marilya was back in the recording studio in Cairns to lay down their much anticipated new album.

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THURSDAY ISLAND-GICC Workshops

CAIRNS-Commonwealth Games-Songfest

INNISFAIL-Gondwana Voices

TOWNSVILLE-Songfest-Workshops MACKAY

-Songfest

ROCKHAMPTON-Songfest

SYDNEY-Festival of Summer Voices-Choral Ideas Symposium-Eternal Voices-SCC Winter Concert-SCC Spring Concert-Invictus Games-Campbelltown Songfest-Voices of Angels

WAGGA WAGGA-SCC Junior Performing Choir

ALBURY-Songfest

ADELAIDE-Spinifex Gum

MELBOURNE-Spinifex Gum-Dreamtime at the G

HOBART & PORT ARTHUR-Festival of Voices

AUDIENCESTotal Live 105,856 Total Live Stream 21,016

Views 2.2MWatch Time 6.3 M Subscribers >7000

ONLINETOTAL SESSIONSWeb Traffic 45,648 Australia 35,931NSW 23,796National 12,135International 9,537

Video 17,848Reach 166,865Unique Views 15,184

PERFORMANCES The Sydney Children’s Choir Gondwana National Choirs Gondwana Indigenous Children’s Choir Marliya

JANUARY 17-20 Festival of Summer Voices, UNSW: 17 Kaleidoscope 18 Choral Explorations 19 The Song Company 20 Closing Gala 18-20 Choral Ideas Symposium, UNSW

MARCH 11 Spinifex Gum, Melbourne 13 Spinifex Gum, Adelaide 14-18 Torres Strait Workshops Horn Island & Thursday Island

APRIL 6 Commonwealth Games with Archie Roach, Cairns

MAY 22 Gondwana World Choral Festival Launch Government House, Sydney

JUNE 3 Dreamtime at the G, Melbourne 14 Eternal Voices, City Recital Hall, Sydney 24 Albury Songfest 25 National Art Glass Gallery, Wagga Wagga

JULY 2 SCC Winter Concert, UNSW 8-15 Festival of Voices, Hobart: 8 Bonfire Performance 10 Port Arthur Performance 11 MONA Performance 11 Youth Showcase Concert 13 Voices@5 15 Festival Finale

SEPTEMBER 4 Campbelltown Songfest 23 Springtime Concert, UNSW

OCTOBER 1-13 Gondwana Voices & GICC FNQ Tour: 1 Youth Drop-in Night workshop, Rusmussen 2 School workshop, Thuringowa 4 Performance & Welcome to Country, Rockhampton 5 Rockhampton Songfest 6 Mackay Songfest workshop 9 Townsville Songfest 10 Performance, Johnston Shire Hall, Innisfail 13 Cairns Songfest 18 Invictus Games Closing Ceremony, Sydney

NOVEMBER 19 Strong Threads, St Scholasticas College

DECEMBER 2 SCC Mini Christmas 11&12 Voices of Angels, City Recital Hall, Sydney

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SONGFESTSGICC

BY STATE & TERRITORY

PARTICIPATION

The Sydney Children’s Choir National Choral School Gondwana Indigenous Children’s Choir

Songfests

477 325 37281

Overseas (NZ) 1Remote Australia 1

Outer RegionalAustralia 38

Inner RegionalAustralia 94

Major Cities 192

BY REGION

Conducting Academy 11Composer School 7Gondwana Chorale 60

Junior Gondwana 52Gondwana Novus 54Gondwana Voices 64Gondwana Singers 77

PROGRAM

BY SYDNEY REGION BY CHOIR LEVEL

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Inner Sydney 81Western Sydney 14Cairns Singers 24Cairns Main Choir 36

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BY CHORAL HUB/REGION CHORISTER NUMBERS BY LOCATION

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PERFORMANCE REPERTOIRE * Australian work ˆ World Premiére Performance(2) Indicates Number of Performances

Ramzi Aburedwa SodfaElla Airlie Back to Kosciuszko *ˆSally K. Albrecht & Jay Althouse Twas the Night Before ChristmasJay Althous Oye la Musica (2)Aluka, arr. Dan Walker Keep my Cool * (2) Ivo Antognini Canticum Novum This Song Kim Andre Arnesen Flight Song (3)Michael Atherton Evening * Shall We Dream * (2)J.S. Bach The Art of Fugue / Contrapunctus XIX Wir eilen mit schwachenPatrick Baker WinterLajos Bardos Szello ZugLionel Bart It’s a Fine Life

Lou Bennett, arr. Dan Walker Waka Nina Yana *Howard Blake Walking in the AirJulie Blanchard Possum *Jerry Bock If I Were a Rich ManMichael Bojesen EternityDaniel Brinsmead Gather the Stars *ˆ (2)Jason Robert Brown Brand New YouRichard Burchard Ecce Dedi Verba MeaWilliam Byrd Ave Verum Corpus Christe Qui Lux Es Laudibus in SanctisLuke Byrne Acknowledgement of Country * Buruwan Elegy * (2)Pablo Casals Nigra Su

Alice Chance Barangaroo and Bennelong * Nya Wali Banga * (2) The Shakespeare Room * Trochus Shell Suite *ˆ Yandel’Ora *ˆ (2)Bob Chilcott Five Days that Changed the World The Invention of Printing The Abolition of Slavery (3) The First Powered Flight The Discovery of Penicillin The First Man in Space How Can I Keep from Singing (2) Like a Rainbow Like a Singing Bird (6) Sussex Carol (2)David Childs Weep No MoreCy Coleman The Rhythm of LifeNoel Coward arr. C Crossin NinaLudovico da Viadana Exsultate JustiGuillaume de Machaut Puis qu’en Oubli

National Choral School rehearsal

Claude Debussy Salut Printemps (5)Orlando di Lasso Matona Mia CaraMatthew Doyle Improvised Performance *Johannes Eccard When to the Temple Mary Went *Owen Elsley And Death Shall Have No Dominion *Ola Gjeilo TundraFranz Gruber, arr. Owen Elsley Stille Nacht (2)Ryuji Hamada Midori NoshichiriDavid Hamilton O Vos OmnesChristopher Harley The Lonely LeafStephan Hatfield Las AmarillasFranz Joseph Haydn Die Harmonie in der EheJerry Herman EleganceMatti Hyokki On Surri sun Rantas Autius (3)Srul Irving Glick Psalm 23Mick Jagger & Keith Richards You can’t always get what you wantPaul Jarman Ancient City * Captain’s Tale * Sampan * Towards Infinity * (3)Paul Jarman & Bonnie Nilsson Malala * Orange Tree * Shell Song *Paul Jarman & Gondwana Choristers Painters of the Sky *ˆEdo Kahn Green Revolution *Elena Kats-Chernin Butterflying * (4) Memorial Rag *Zoltan Kodály Wainamoinen Makes Music (3)Kenneth & Kristen Lampl Lie Light Dear Heart *ˆ (2)Morten Lauridsen Sure on this Shining NightJohn Leavitt Set me as a SealMykola Leontovych Carol of the BellsFrederick Loewe Wouldn’t It Be LoverlyElla Macens Do You Remember * The Lion of Sydney * The Lost Garden *Jaakko Mäntyjärvi Pseudo-Yoik (2)Miguel Matamoros, arr. J Quick Son de la LomaMiyaaymiyaay Group Welcome to Country *

Ko Matsushita Word Game SongPaul McCartney & John Lennon Hey JudeTodd McNeal Whenever the Wind is High *Kate Miller-Heidke, arr. Dan Walker Where? (from The Rabbits) * (5)Vytautas Miškinis Dum Medium SilentiumWolfgang Amadeus Mozart Exsultate Jubilate, Movt. I and IV (2) Kyrie, Gloria from Piccolmini MassGyorgy Orban Lauda SionBang & Alfira O’Sullivan Lagu Ratoh Bantai Rapai GelengJim Papoulis Amani (2) Panta Rhei (5)Arvo Pärt Bogoróditse DyévoBenj Pasek You Will be FoundAntony Pitts One Equal Music * You Will Arise / Shout for Joy! *Nicola Porpora Magnificat (2)Henry Purcell Remember not, Lord, our OffencesSergei Rachmaninoff Bogoróditse DyévoAndrea Ramsey Sing to MeFelix Riebl, arr. Ollie McGillwith Briggs, Tom Waits, Peter Garrett, Christine Anu, Lyn Williams Spinifex Gum * (2) Acknowledgement of Country (2) Wandangarli (2) iYurala (2) Mine, Steal, Tender, Ore (2) Gawarliwarli (3) Lang Interlude (2) Make it Rain (2) Black Woman (2) My Island Home (2) Out Where You Are (4) Train Whisper Interlude (2) Malungungu 2) Beds are Burning 2) Don’t Shut them Down (2) Ms Dhu (2) Locked Up (3) The Children Came Back (2) Marliya (4)Jake Runestad Come to the WoodsJohn Rutter A Gaelic Blessing Angel’s Carol (2)Ruth Elaine Scram Blow, Bugle, Blow (2)Sholom Secunda Donna, DonnaLudwig Senfl Das G’läut zu SpeyerR. & R. Shermann Hushabye Mountain

Paul Stanhope I Have Not Your Dreaming Lost the PlotKevin Stannard PuffinFranz Xavier Sussmayr Das Namensfest (2)Kim Sutherland & Gondwana Choristers Symphony of Colour *ˆThomas Tallis Suscipe Quaeso DomineAnthony Trecek-King Turn me RoundJoseph Twist I Don’t Want to Live on the Moon * Rocket Ship * Space Kangaroo *Ben Van Tienen Some Days * (2) Stairway to Nowhere * (2)Ralph Vaughan Williams Orpheus and his Lute (2) Silent Noon (4)Hildegard von Bingen arr. Lyn Williams O Eterne DeusDan Walker Bamba Hunting * High Street * (2) Moments the Shaped Australia *ˆ A New Sky * (4) The Trails of a Pioneer The Voyage of Tagai * (2) Port Arthur Memorial (3) Ether of Infinity * (7) Out There * (5) Pilliga Stomp * (3) The Hour That I Like Best * (2) You, Me and the Wide Open Sky * (2)Eric Whitacre Sainte ChapelleSally Whitwell Hey there! Hoop la! *Sally Whitwell & Gondwana Choristers Vox Populi *ˆ Lyn Williams Festive Alleluia * (2)Pharrell Williams HappyLisa Young Thulele Mama Ya *

ARRANGEMENTSC Crossin Shine on Me O Elsley Deck the Hall/The Holly and

the Ivy (2) Es Ist Ein Ros Entsprungen (2) In Dulci Jubilo (2) R Fleming A Great Big Sea J Howell The Angel Gabriel (2)M & L Kiek Zaliubih Mamo Tri MomiA Naplan Hine ma Tov Al Shlosha D’Varim (4)S Mutafchiev Sednalo e Giore dosM O’Leary Shalom Chaverim (4) The Lachlan Tigers *S Townson & L. Williams Sesere Eeye * (2)A Trecek-King I’m Building Me a Home (2)D Walker Angels from the Realms (2) O Come All Ye Faithful (2)

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NEW WORKS 2018 For over 25 years, Gondwana Choirs has been at the forefront of commissioning works from emerging and established Aus-tralian composers. 2018 saw five major new works/groups of works commissioned and performed by the ensembles Gond-wana Choirs.

Moments that Changed Australia by Dan Walkeri. A New Skyii. The Trials of a Pioneeriii. The Voyage of Tagai iv. Port Arthur Memorialv. The Ether of InfinityCommissioned by Lyn WilliamsWorld première performance by The Sydney Children’s Choir Eternal Voices, 14 June, City Recital Hall, Sydney

Trocus Shell Suite. 4 Traditional Mer (Murray Island) songs ŧ as taught by Kay & Noel Zaro & 2 original songs* by Alice Chance

i. Ki Keriba ŧii. Nabauguatare ŧiii. Kara Kara Neur ŧiv. E Cumma ŧv. Mer*vi. Op Nor*Commissioned through a grant from the Australian Government Indigenous Language and Arts World première performance by Gondwana Indige-nous Children’s ChoirCairns SongFest, 13 October, St Monica’s Cathedral, Cairns

Lie Light Dear Heart by Kenneth Lampl and Kirsten Lampl Commission made possible by a gift from the Mitchell FamilyWorld première performance by Gondwana Chorale & Gondwana Singers Festival of Summer Voices, 20 January, Sir John Clancy Auditorium UNSW

Gather the Stars by Daniel BrinsmeadCommission made possible by a grant from APRA/AM-COSWorld première performance by Gondwana Voices, Gondwana Novus & Junior Gondwana Festival of Summer Voices, 20 January, Sir John Clancy Auditorium UNSW

Sydney Children’s Choir Composer in Residence

The SCC Composer in Residence gives emerging compos-ers the unique experience of writing for ensembles of specific ages and levels. Uniquely, each composer focuses on one of Sydney’s great cultural institutions, researching the history and stories of the partner and facilitating SCC chorister visits to the institution, engaging them in the compositional process.

Past Composers in Residence include :• Alice Chance (Barangaroo Delivery Authority)

• Luke Byrne (Sydney Powerhouse Museum)

• Ben van Tienen (Art Gallery of NSW)

The 2018/19 Composer in Residence is Ella Macens, who is writing a suite of works based on the historic houses and museums of Sydney Living Museums, which will culminate in an SCC performance for the reopening of Hyde Park Barracks in 2019.

The Lion of Sydney (Mini Singers and Junior Training Choirs)Do You Remember (Intermediate Training Choirs)The Lost Garden (Advanced Training Choir) World première performance at SCC Springtime Con-cert, 23 September, Sir John Clancy Auditorium UNSW

Ella’s residency is supported by Composer in Residence Patron Jill Wran, whose love of new music and her long association with both Sydney Children’s Choir and Sydney Living Museums make this an ideal partnership.

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SONGFESTSSongfests are an important part of Gondwana Choirs’ engagement and are built upon the idea of shared learning, shared artistic leadership and shared performance experience between our choirs and young people from diverse communities throughout Australia. Local groups of singers rehearse with Gondwana Choirs’ artistic staff before joining with our ensembles for intensive rehearsals of combine repertoire.

ALBURY 10 May & 23-24 June SCC Junior Performing Choir

The Albury Songfest commenced with conductor Elizabeth Vierboom leading NESA accredited workshops in May for music specialist and classroom teachers, giving them the tools to teach repertoire for the Songfest in June. Conductor Amandine Petit led the SCC Junior Performing Choir and the Albury Songfest Choir in weekend rehearsals that finished with a performance at Albury Public School.

CAMPBELLTOWN 4 September SCC Advanced Training Singers & Western Sydney GICC

Young singers from seven Sydney schools joined with Western Sydney Gondwana Indigenous Children’s Choir and the Sydney Children’s Choir Advanced Training Choir at Ambarvale High School, Campbelltown. The focus of this Songfest was learning songs in Dharawal, the Indigenous language of the area

in addition to one of our acclaimed arrangements of songs from the Torres Strait. The performance saw the première of Yandel’Ora by Alice Chance. Yandel’Ora is inspired by the dreaming story of the land of peace between peoples as told by local elder Auntie Frances Bodkin.

FAR NORTH QUEENSLAND 5-11 October Gondwana Voices & Gondwana Inidgenous Children’s Choir

Gondwana Indigenous Children’s Choir and national ensemble Gondwana Voices combined (and overlapped) to tour to of Far North Queensland. Mark O’Leary led extra rehearsals with local Songfest choirs in Rockhampton, Mackay and Townsville for combined performances in these towns, in addition to a further performance by Gondwana Voices in Innisfail. The tour culminated in a spectacular performance in St Monica’s Cathedral, Cairns featuring our two choirs, Cairns Songfest Choir (rehearsed by Lyn Williams), Cairns State High School Chorale, the ACO Inspire Quartet and our friends from Gerib Sik Torres Strait Islander Dance Troupe.

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NCS $23,591SCC $10,192

INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE AND ARTSGondwana Choirs is grateful for support from the Federal Government’s Indigenous Language and Arts Program. This grant enables us to commission new songs for the Gondwana Indigenous Children’s Choir, created out of close collabora-tion with Indigenous elders, preserving and passing on a num-ber of Indigenous languages.

Through these collaborations, Indigenous traditional stories, language, and other cultural knowledge is shared directly with the children in our choral hubs. Consultation with a commis-sioned Australian composer then results in the development of a new song for the choir, which then becomes part of their repertoire, their identity as an Indigenous choir, and their own story. In some instances, a children’s book has also been cre-ated, illustrated by the children in the choir, and featuring the traditional story and language.

It is of the greatest importance that the ownership of these stories remains with the community from which it came. Work continues through this funding to create a new framework to ensure this acknowledgment is meaningful and appropriate.

In 2018, new commissions supported by ILA included: • Trochus Shell Suite

Shared with the Cairns choir by the Gerib Sik Dance Troupe from the Torres Strait Islands, com posed by Alice Chance

• Y’andellorah Shared with the Western Sydney choir by Dharawal elder Aunty Fran Bodkin, composed by Alice Chance

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BURSARIES & FINANCIAL ASSISTANCEGondwana Choirs’ vision is to be a truly national institution that creates excellent choral work and is representative of modern Australia in all its diversity. Key to achieving excel-lence is providing the chance for all talented young Australian singers to participate in our programs, irrespective of financial, social, physical or distance barriers.

Gondwana Choirs offers Bursaries that fully or partially offset participation fees for the Sydney Children’s Choir and Gond-wana National Choral School to those affected choristers. NCS participants may also apply for assistance to help travel to Sydney from interstate and remote Australia.

In addition to holding a Bursary Fundraising campaign at the time of SCC and NCS enrolments, Gondwana Choirs received generous support in 2018 from the Marian & E.H. Flack Trust specifically to assist in enabling disadvantaged members of the community to obtain access to creative arts programs.

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RIO TINTOGondwana Indigenous Children’s Choir and Rio Tinto are proud to present the seventh year of partnership that has allowed us to plan for long term development of the program, present meaningful series of activities and provide this world -class training program at no cost to the participants.

Central to GICC is the preservation and sharing of language and story, through song. As connections with local elders, cultural custodians and community leaders builds in the regions of our choirs, we see a growing trust and willingness to share with the choir and recognise their potential as advocates and future leaders. The choir members share the belief that their most valued responsibility as members of the Gondwana Indigenous Children’s Choir is to share their culture through their performances.

Through the direct support of Rio Tinto, the Cairns Gondwana Indigenous Children’s Choir participated in two additional significant events in 2018. In June, the choir took centre stage in Melbourne at the pre-game entertainment for the AFL’s Dreamtime at the G, which celebrates the role that Australian Rules Football has played in building bridges between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australia. The choir opened the game between Essendon and Richmond to a live audience of 60,000 and broadcast audience of 1.6 million, performing on stage with Indigenous rapper Briggs and Senator Pat Dodson.

October marked the choir’s first tour, supported by Rio Tinto, through regional Queensland. The ensemble presented workshops with Indigenous youth in community centres and public spaces and shared their songs with young people from Rockhampton, Townsville, Mackay, and Cairns.

Rio Tinto’s long association as Principal Partner of Gondwana Indigenous Children’s Choir has seen the ensemble play an increasingly important role in helping create pathways for Indigenous young people in the performing arts and assisting preserving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages.

Gondwana Choirs is proud to have such a strong team leading our Indigenous Children’s Choir programs around the country, offering a musical program that strives for excellence and also offers extensive performance opportunities. These experiences would not be possible without Rio Tinto’s ongoing commitment to Gondwana Choirs.

GOVERNMENTPARTNERS

PRINCIPAL PARTNER Gondwana Indigenous

Children’s Choir

EDUCATION & VENUE PARTNERS

SUPPORTING PARTNERS

Indigenous Languages and Arts

TRUSTS & FOUNDATIONS

MAJOR GOVERNMENT

PARTNER

FAR NORTH QUEENSLAND

TOUR

Gondwana Choirs is supported by the NSW Government

through Create NSW

WAGGA WAGGAART GALLERY

ALBURY/ WAGGA WAGGA

TOUR

2018 PARTNERS

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INNOVATIONS PATRONSFrom our beginnings almost 30 years ago, creativity has been a constant. Lyn William’s innovative vision has been made possible by individuals for whom supporting Gondwana Choirs is an investment in excellence and opportunity for young people throughout Australia. Join the Gondwana Choirs community today and be part of our incredible journey. Find out more at gondwana.org.au/support-usThank you to all who have supported Gondwana Choirs in 2018:

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR’S CIRCLE ($20,000+)Vicki Olsson Samway FamilyShaw FamilyAnonymous (1)

INNOVATIONS PATRONS PLATINUM ($5,000+)Christine BishopLarry Boyd & Barbara Caine AMMartin Dickson AM & Susie DicksonDaryl & Kate Dixon NCS Visiting Artist Patrons In memory of Leora Cohen Peter Goes & Michelle HarveyHerschell FamilyThe Magnolia Foundation O’Brien FoundationSurveying Solutions PLTodd Family FoundationLyn Williams AMJill Wran SCC Composer-In-Residence PatronAnonymous (1)

INNOVATIONS PATRONS GOLD($2,000+)Helen & Matthew AllchurchAmerica FamilyTessa Boyd-Caine & John ChanGrimshaw FamilyLouise HerronRobin HilliardNicholas JamesKate Lidbetter & Peter KerinLongmuir FamilyEmma & Andrew Maple BrownKaren MundineHelen WilliamsMelanie WrothAnonymous (4)

Das Namensfest, Sussmeyer at Voices of AngelsAlexandra Oomens, sopranoRichard Cohen, der GroßvaterSCC Junior Performing Choir

INNOVATIONS PATRONS SILVER($500+)Sam AllchurchBelinda Ashe & David DuncanPrue AshurstBlue Wing ConstructionsKarin BrownAlexandra Cameron-FraserGertraud & Richard CohenRoy & Pat DavidDr Janice Dudley, in memory of

Raymond DudleyRichard & Mary EvansEvans/Green FamilyKatie Gillingham & James Sheller Gorbatov FamilyFrancis Greep & Michael BlakeStephanie GrenningCatherine Playoust & Elliott GygerDarryl & Katherine HodgkinsonAndrea & Michael HuelinKains FamilyIn memory of Helen McKinnonRobyn Martin-WeberMay FamilyElisabeth McDonaldDr Jean McPhersonRon, Lynn & Marcus OgdenDr Donna M O’SullivanVanessa & Mark RohannaRobert & Jenny Rowland

Caroline SharpenSimpson FamilyOn and Beth SinWGCDR Michael Stuart-WattPenny & Imogen SturrockThomas-Cetinich FamilyMike and Briony TyquinFrances & Gary WhatlingRay Wilson OAM in memory of

James Agapitos OAM

Connie WongRosemary Curtin & Alex WonhasEls Wynen & David VanzeittiMichele Tjeuw & Alan YapMark & Anna YatesAnonymous (4)

INNOVATIONS PATRONS BRONZE(TO $500$)Sajidah Abdullah & Scott MorrisonCarole BakerAlina & Scott BarlowSue BarnsleyMelody & Brad BirrellSteve Burns & Louisa O’TooleCapricorn Star ChartersBlue Wing ConstructionsRoz CheneyDavid ChestermanHelen & James ChisholmKay ChiswellMs Alison DeitzAnna & Tristram DuncanFetner FamilySarah GilesJohn & Susan GrantJenianne HallDavid G HannayStuart and Gail HazellSandy HomklinProf. John Horvath AOHelena and Alex KingAnnie KwokEliza LangdonLauber FamilyLisa Lobry de Bruyn & Graham

MarshallNorman Long

Mr Greg MassinghamGavin Morrison & Rachel

McCallumDr Jean McPhersonCressida Mort & Sean O’NeilMoser FamilyAndrew Peart & Marion TaitMark & Sally PierceSarah PlattsDenise PlayoustCharles PomeroyColin PrebbleKate ReidTracey Rogers & Peter MullenFreddy & Felix ShawAlex SiegersMichelle & Paul StanhopeVictoria StanmoreStephen StoneGeorgiana Thomas-PeddellAlanna VazKarin Von StrokirchMichael WalpoleWittenoom Louw FamilyConnie WongAnonymous (14)

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SCC Junior Performing ChoirEternal Voices, City Recital Hall

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Other 8%Box Office 7%

Sponsorship 10%Government Grants 10%

Donations 13%Participation Fees 52%

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Marketing & Merchandise 3%Company Overheads 9%Artistic Staff 27%Administration Staff 27%Travel & Accommodation 26%Production 8%

ACCOUNTSFor the full, detailed Financial Statement, please visithttps://www.gondwana.org.au/annual-reports-policies/

INCOME

EXPENSES

INCOME AS A % OF PROJECT (TOP) AND ONGOING PROGRAM (LOWER)

EXPENSES AS A % OF PROJECT (TOP) AND ONGOING PROGRAM (LOWER)

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The Sydney Children’s Choir,Voices of Angels, City Recital Hall

GONDWANA CHOIRS BOARD Kate Lidbetter, Chair Lyn Williams AM

Tessa Boyd-Caine Karen MundineDavid Longmuir Caroline SharpenNicholas James

GONDWANA CHOIRS ADMINISTRATION 2019Lyn Williams AM Founder & Artistic DirectorBernie Heard Executive Director

Sam Allchurch Associate Artistic DirectorLachlan Cameron Artistic CoordinatorWendy Cundy Accounts AdministratorGeorgia Ginnivan National Projects CoordinatorFrancis Greep Development ManagerSusan Hart Finance ManagerShabnam Hinton Community Projects CoordinatorHeather Kelley Chorister ManagerArnold Klugkist GWCF Associate ProducerGenevieve Lang GWCF Marketing ManagerAmandine Petit Head of SCC Training ChoirsMadeleine Picard SCC CoordinatorTegan Reginbaugh GWCF ProducerSarah Thomas Artistic ProducerKristy Wandmaker Marketing Manager Margaret Wymarra Cairns GICC Coordinator

Thanks to Emma Carson, Liz Herbert, and Jerome Studdyfor their contributions in 2018.

Gondwana Choirs would like to thank all of our parent volunteers

and rehearsal supervisors for your contribution.

You are an integral part of our organisation.

SYDNEY CHILDREN’S CHOIR ARTISTS 2018Artistic Director Lyn William AMAssociate Artistic Director Sam AllchurchHead of Training Choirs Amandine PetitAssociate Conductor Elizabeth Vierboom Principal Pianist Sally WhitwellConductors Bronwyn Cleworth, Ruth McCall, Atalya Masi, Hester WrightPianists Estella Roche, Heinz Schweers, Antonio Fernandez

NATIONAL CHORAL SCHOOL 2018Artistic Director Lyn Williams AMJunior Gondwana (treble choir) Kate Albury and Amandine Petit, conductors; Antonio Fernandez, pianistGondwana Novus (treble choir) Paul Jarman and Kim Sutherland, conductors; Andrew Basile, pianistGondwana Voices (treble choir) Lyn Williams AM and Mark O’Leary OAM, conductors; Sally Whitwell, pianistGondwana Singers (SATB) Christie Anderson and Rowan Johnston, conductors; Robin Parkin, pianistGondwana Chorale (SATB) Paul Holley OAM and Carl Crossin OAM,conductors; Kate Johnson, pianistGondwana Conducting Academy Graeme Morton AM, Director; Lauren Hannay, pianistGondwana Composer School Antony Pitts, Director Ensemble in Residence The Song Company. Antony Pitts, Artistic DirectorSpecial Performance Projects Musical Theater: Christopher Harly, Peter Haywood, Alexander Andrews Songs and Dances of Indonesia: Suara Indonesian Dance Composition: Sally Whitwell, Paul Jarman Taiko Drumming: Ryuji Hamada, Joe Small Renaissance Consort Carl Crossin, Antony Pitts Music of the Classical Period: Paul Holley Creating Soundscapes: Kim Sutherland Music of Eastern Europe Mara & Llew Kiek

GONDWANA INDIGENOUS CHILDREN’S CHOIR 2018Lyn Williams AM Artistic DirectorConductors Stephanie Grenning, Lauren Hannay, Elizabeth VierboomPianists Lauren Hannay, Brendan O’Mahony

gondwana.org.au